Tens of Thousands Voice Support for Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Add to Groundswell of Public Demand to Protect the Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 18, 2014

SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Today groups announced the collection of more than 80,000 public comments supporting the permanent protection of the Berryessa Snow Mountain area. The supporters join more than 200 businesses that have already spoken out in favor of a national monument designation, along with all five counties that would be included in the monument. The latest comments are a demonstration of the growing movement calling on the Obama Administration to take action to protect the special area.

“Establishment of Berryessa Snow Mountain as a national monument would be an all-around win,” said Pamela Flick of Defenders of Wildlife. “It would safeguard important areas for wildlife and rare plants to adapt to a changing climate; protect our clean water; encourage tourism and support local businesses; and conserve this unique treasure for future generations to enjoy. It’s no wonder there is so much support for permanent protection of the region.”

The Berryessa Snow Mountain area stretches nearly 100 miles from the shores of Lake Berryessa to the flanks of Snow Mountain in the Mendocino National Forest.  The region is home to archaeological sites dating back at least 5,000 years, a vast array of wildlife, and offers an abundance of recreation opportunities.

"Berryessa Snow Mountain is an important outdoor getaway for the Bay and Central Valley areas. It's also important for those of us who live nearby," said Victoria Brandon, Lake County resident and chair of the Sierra Club's Redwood Chapter. "Whether you like to hike and watch wildlife or kayak and go trail running, there's something for everyone. It's not surprising that there is such strong support for safeguarding this area."

Designation as a national monument would not only protect the area's natural beauty and enhance recreation opportunities; it would also be a boon to the local economy.  A recent economic report released by the Winters Chamber of Commerce found that national monument designation could generate $50 million for the local economy over five years.

“As we’ve seen with the President’s recent actions to permanently protect the majestic San Gabriel Mountains and a pristine stretch of the Mendocino coastline, California’s public lands are prime candidates for permanent protection. We strongly believe the Berryessa Snow Mountain region, one of the most wildlife rich but least known regions in California, should be next in line to receive national monument status,” said Sarah Rose, Chief Executive Officer of the California League of Conservation Voters.

“These lands in our wild backyard are one of Northern California’s best kept secrets,” said Sara Husby, Executive Director of Tuleyome. “It’s encouraging to see the huge outcry of support for the designation. The proposed National Monument has received support not only from local businesses and elected officials, but also from a wide variety of recreation users. It’s not every day that hikers, horseback riders, hunters, anglers, OHV users, and mountain bikers rally together to get things done, but it’s really exciting to see this happening. Permanent protection of this area will be good for local wildlife, outdoor enthusiasts, and will benefit our local economies by encouraging more visitors to pass through our towns on their way to and from exploring the area.”   

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The Sierra Club is America's oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization. Inspired by nature, we are more than two million of your friends and neighbors, working together to protect our communities and the planet. More at www.sierraclub.org.

Defenders of Wildlife is dedicated to the protection of all native animals and plants in their natural communities. With more than 1.1 million members and activists, Defenders of Wildlife is a leading advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard our wildlife heritage for generations to come. For more information, visit www.defenders.org and follow us on Twitter @DefendersNews.

Tuleyome was founded in 2002 as a volunteer advocacy-oriented nonprofit organization to protect the wild and agricultural heritages of the Inner Coastal Range and the Western Sacramento Valley for current and future generations.  These areas include all or parts of Yolo, Solano, Lake, Napa, Glenn, Tehama, Colusa, and Mendocino counties in northwestern California. Visit us on the web at www.tuleyome.org.

The political muscle of the environmental movement in America’s leading environmental state, the California League of Conservation Voters (CLCV) is the nation’s oldest grassroots environmental political action organization. CLCV uses sophisticated campaign tools to help elect pro-environment officials and to hold them accountable for passing legislation to protect health, communities and the environment. CLCV publishes the annual California Environmental Scorecard, which rates the actions of every state legislator and the governor on the state’s environmental priorities each legislative year. For more information visit www.ecovote.org.